or
<div id="tickets"> <label for="datepicker">Start Date</label> <input type="date" id="datepicker" name="searchstart" /> <span class="k-invalid-msg" data-for="searchstart" validationMessage="Test"></span></div><script> $(document).ready(function() { $("#datepicker").kendoDatePicker({ format: "dd/MM/yyyy" }); var validator = $("#tickets").kendoValidator().data("kendoValidator"); });</script>